GB2290571A - Security post - Google Patents

Abstract

A security post (2) which can be lowered into an accommodating tubular member (4) below the ground when not in use comprises an inner locking post (8) accommodated by the said tubular member. Locking means such as a cross bar (48) affixed to an elongate shaft (38) secure the said post (2) in a lower position and also to support the said post in an upper position by engaging surfaces (44, 46, 56, 58). Means to prevent removal of the said post from the said tubular member comprise a locking mechanism located at the top of the post to prevent rotation of the shaft when it is secured in its upper or lower position. <IMAGE>

Description

A SECURITY POST The present invention relates to a security post.

Security posts are increasingly utilised as temporary bollards for restricting vehicle entry to car parking facilities. The posts are set in the ground and can be lowered into an accommodating sleeve below the ground when not in use. The further feature of security posts is that they cannot be removed by an unauthorised person when not in use.

According to a first aspect of the present invention there is provided a security post comprising; a first elongate tubular member, a post accommodated by the said tubular member, locking means to secure the said post in a lower position within the said tubular member and to support the said post in an upper position, and removal prevention means to prevent removal of the said post from the said tubular member.

According to a second aspect of the present invention there is provided a method of securing a post comprising the steps of; unlocking the post from a sleeve partially withdrawing the post from the sleeve and re-locking the post in an extended position with respect to the sleeve, the post comprising; a first elongate tubular member, a post accommodated by the said tubular member, locking means to secure the said post in a lower position within the said tubular member and to support the said post in an upper position, and removal prevention means to prevent removal of the said post from the said tubular member.

Preferably, the locking means is a cross bar affixed to an elongate shaft, which shaft is secured to the said post and is rotatably manoeuvrable into a first locked position and a second unlocked position and preferably, at least two protruding portions, operable to abut against the cross bar and provide the locking means in the locked position thereof.

Preferably, the lower surfaces of the said at least two protruding portions will abuttingly engage at least a part of the upper surface of the cross bar if removal is attempted in the locked lower position to secure the post within the tubular member.

Preferably, the upper surfaces of the said at least two protruding portions abuts against at least a part of the lower surface of the said cross bar in the supported upper position to support the post in the upper position thereof.

In use, the tubular member may be disposed beneath the ground with the upper edges thereof substantially level with the surface of the ground so that in the upper position the post extends above the ground and in the lower position the post is accommodated in the tubular member and the upper surface of the post is substantially level with the ground.

Typically, the removal prevention means is a fixed surface disposed above the uppermost of the said at least two protruding portions, which said surface has disposed therein an aperture for slidably accommodating the said shaft to allow vertically reciprocating movement thereof but which abuts against the said crossbar in either the locked or unlocked position to prevent removal of the said post from the said tubular member.

Preferably, there is a second tubular member accommodated within the said first tubular member, the closed upper surface of which forms the said removal prevention means. The said inner tubular member typically has four side walls substantially parallel with and spaced from the side walls of said first tubular member two of which said side walls, typically, each have an elongate protruding member disposed thereon in such a manner that the two protruding members are of equal length and are disposed opposingly on opposite side walls. In this configuration the lower and upper surfaces of the said elongate protruding members respectively form the said first securing and second supporting protruding portions.

An embodiment of the invention will now be described by way of example only and with reference to the accompanying drawings in which: Fig.1 is a cross-sectional front elevational view through a security post; Fig.2(a) is a cross-sectional front elevational view through an inner tubular member of the said security post; Fig.2(b) is a side elevational view of the said inner tubular member; Fig.3(a) is a front elevational view of a shaft and cross bar; Fig.3(b) is a side elevational view of a shaft and cross bar; Fig.4(a) is a front elevational view of the head of the security post; Fig.4(b) is plan view of the head of the head of the security post; Fig.5(a) is a front elevational view of the post member; Fig.5(b) is a side elevational view of the post member; Fig. 6(a) is a front elevational view of a closure flap;; Fig. 6(b) is a side elevational view of a closure flap; Fig.7 is a plan view of base plate; Fig.8(a) is an elevational view of the top flange; Fig.8(b) is a side elevational view of the top flange; Fig.9 is an elevational view of an outer sleeve of the security post; Fig. 10 is an elevational view of a handle; Fig.1 1 is an elevational view of a further handle; Fig.12(a) is an elevational view of a shaft; and Fig.12(b) is a side elevational view of a shaft collar.

Referring to fig.1 a retractable post 2 is accommodated in a close fitting sleeve 4 for movement between a first extended position as shown in fig.1 and a second retracted position (not shown). The sleeve 4 is fixed to a base plate 6 which base plate 6 also has secured thereto an inner locking post 8. The side walls 10,12,14 and 16 of the said inner locking post 8 are parallel with and inwardly spaced from the side walls 18,20,22 and 24 of the outer sleeve 4. The walls 26,28,30 and 32 of the retractable post 2 which are close fitting with the respective side walls of the outer sleeve 4 are easily accommodated in the cavity between the respective side walls of the outer sleeve 4 and inner locking post 8 for telescopic movement therein.The upper surface 34 of the inner locking post 8 has disposed centrally therein a circular aperture 36 for accommodating a shaft 38, which said shaft is secured centrally to the retractable post top and extends parallel with the sides therewith for telescopic movement therewith and through the inner locking post. The locking post 8 has exposed on each of the opposing side walls 6 and 12 opposing elongate longitudinally extending protruding members 40 and 42. The upper respective surfaces 44 and 46 of the said protruding members support the cross bar 48 disposed at the lower end of the shaft 38 when the said retractable post 2 is locked into the telescopically extended position thereof. Cross bar 48 is secured by a pin 50 to the cylindrical shaft 38 proximal to the lower end thereof.The upper end of the said cylindrical shaft 38 is secured by way of pin 52 to collar 54, a the top of the post 2, for rotational engagement therewith with respect to the retractable post 2. Rotation of the shaft 38 through 90" rotatably releases cross bar 48 from abutting engagement with the upper surfaces 44 and 46 of the elongate spaced members 40 and 42 and thereby allows downward telescopic movement of the shaft 38 and cross bar 48 and post 2 with respect to the outer sleeve 4 and inner locking post 8. The post can then be locked in a lower position by rotation of the said shaft 38 to permit abutting surface engagement of lower surfaces 56 and 58 of the elongate pretruding members 40 and 42 with the upper surface of the cross bar 48. The upper surface 60 of the retractable post 2 has disposed centrally therein circular aperture 62 designed to be close fitting with the upper end of shaft 38 and also an arcuate slot 64 having a radius 66 struck from the centre 68 of the circular aperture 62, which said slot permits of rotation of the lock set 70 and shaft 38 associated therewith through 90 . The shaft 38 extends vertically through the circular aperture 62 and protrudes into the head 72 of the retractable post 2 and is held therein by way of a roll pin 74 which extends into a blind bore 76 in the head 72 and co-extends through bore 78 in the head of the shaft 38 which said bore 78 is aligned in use with the said blind bore 76.The blind end of the pin 74 abuts onto the locking mechanism 70 and thereby connects the locking mechanism 70 with the rotatable shaft 38. A U shaped handle 80 is fixed to the opposing side of the head 72 by way of rivets 82 and 84 positioned mid way up the side of the said head.

The post 2 may be retracted into the outer sleeve 4 so that it is fully contained therein and in this position the lid 87 may rotate about pin 88 to close the opening 90 into the head of the sleeve 4. The said sleeve head comprises a rectilinear flange 90 which extends around the upper perimeter of the said sleeve 4 for lower surface abutment thereof against the ground level.

The outer sleeve 4 has located on each of two opposing sides thereof handles 94 and 96. The said handles allowing convenient transportation of the retractable security post and providing further securing features when the sleeve is located in the ground.

It will be appreciated that various modifications and alterations to the invention are possible without departing from the invention as described, for instance, the shaft need not be cylindrical and various locking mechanisms could be used to effect rotation of the locking cross-bar. Furthermore, the protruding portions could comprise two or more pairs of spaced members and need not be continuous elongate members. In this embodiment the upper surfaces of the respective pairs could provide a variable height for the post.

Claims (13)

1. A security post comprising a first elongate tubular member, a post accommodated by the said tubular member, locking means to secure the said post in a lower position within the said tubular member and to support the said post in an upper position, and removal prevention means to prevent removal of the said post from the said tubular member.

2. A security post according to claim 1, wherein the locking means is a cross bar affixed to an elongate shaft, which shaft is secured to the said post and is rotatably manoeuvrable into a first locked position and a second unlocked position.

3. A security post according to claims 1 or 2 wherein the post comprises at least two protruding portions, operable to abut against the cross bar and provide the locking means in the locked position thereof.

4. A security post according to claim 3 wherein the lower surfaces of the said at least two protruding portions will abuttingly engage at least a part of the upper surface of the cross bar if removal is attempted in the locked lower position to secure the post within the tubular member.

5. A security post according to claims 3 or 4 wherein the upper surfaces of the said at least two protruding portions abuts against at least a part of the lower surface of the said cross bar in the supported upper position to support the post in the upper position thereof.

6. A security post according to any preceding claim wherein the said removal prevention means is a fixed surface disposed above the uppermost of the said at least two protruding portions, which said surface has disposed therein an aperture for slidably accommodating the said shaft to allow vertically reciprocating movement thereof but which abuts against the said cross-bar in either the locked or unlocked position to prevent removal of the said post from the said tubular member.

7. A security post according to any preceding claim wherein there is a second tubular member accommodated within the said first tubular member, the closed upper surface of which forms the said removal prevention means.

8. A security post according to claim 7 wherein the said inner tubular member has four side walls substantially parallel with and spaced from the side walls of said first tubular member two of which said side walls, each have an elongate protruding member disposed thereon in such a manner that the two protruding members are of equal length and are disposed opposingly on opposite side walls, the lower and upper surfaces of the said elongate protruding members respectively form first securing and second supporting protruding portions.

9. A security post according to any preceding claim wherein there is a lid to close the opening of the said tubular member, the opening of the said tubular member comprising a rectilinear flange which extends around the upper perimeter of the said tubular member for lower surface abutment thereof against ground level.

10. A security post according to any preceding claim wherein the said tubular member has located on each of its opposing sides, handles allowing convenient transportation of the securing post and further securing the tubular member when located in the ground.

11. A method of securing a post comprising the steps of unlocking the post from a sleeve partially withdrawing the post from the sleeve and re-locking the post in an extended position with respect to the sleeve, the post comprising; a first elongate tubular member, a post accommodated by the said tubular member, locking means to secure the said post in a lower position within the said tubular member and to support the said post in an upper position, and removal prevention means to prevent removal of the said post from the said tubular member.

12. A security post substantially as described herein before with reference to the accompanying drawings.

13. A method of securing a post substantially as described herein before with reference to the accompanying drawings.